Automatic line-coupling.



N. M. BOYNTON, J; P. MIOHIELI & T. A. BRANDHOFER, JR.

' AUTOMATIC LINE GOUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1913. v 1,094, 1 1 5, v Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

2 SHEETSfSHBET 1.

M. BOYNTON, m. MI CHIBLI & T. A. BRANDHOPER, JR, AUTOMATIC LINE COUPLING.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 25,1913

Patented Apnzl, 1914,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

NEWELL M. ,BoYNroN, JoHN r. MICHIE'LI, AND THEODORE A. BRANDI-IOFER an.) or

, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC LINE-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 21, 1914,

Application filed June 25, 1913. Serial No. 775,671.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, NnwELL M. BOYN- TON, JOHN P. MIoHIELI, and THEODORE A;

BRANDHOFER, J12, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San .Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Line-Couplingsgof which the following is afspe'cification. I g

This inventionrelates to a line coupling for trains.

It is the object of this invention to provide a coupling for air, steam or electric lines of trains which is automatic in coupling and uncoupling, and adapted to interlock with a corresponding coupling without the use of loose or separate connecting parts.

Another object is to provide a COupling ofthe above character which is simple in 7 construction, eflicient in operation, not liable to get out of order, and adapted to be applied to most railroad cars without necessitating alteration of the construction of the letter.

A further object is to provide a line coupling which is self-centering and alining,

and so constructed as to readily adjust itself to variations in the position of a complementary coupling on an adjoining car with which it is intended to interlock.

Another object is to provide a line coupling of few parts which are cheap of manufacture and readily applied, and which can be easily removed when necessary for repairs.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention primarily resides in a coupling head formed with a pair of off-set, semi-circular deflecting or guide flanges, having inclined inner faces converging into centering pockets, said guide flanges being adapted to extend into the centering pockets on a complementary coupling head, a longitudinally movable support for said head, yieldable means for normally maintaining said head and support at a forwardmost position, said support mounted-to have-an oscillatory movement in conjunction with its longitudinal movement, and means for maintaining the head supporting means in a central position.

The-invention further consists in the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinaftermore fully described panying drawings, in whichfv Figure 1 .is a side view of the invention as applied. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of same. I Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on the line (b -(6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4.is a'detail horizontal section on the line b-b of Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 6 are modified forms of the and claimed, having reference to the accommounting of the coupling. Fig. 7 is a section in elevation on the line 0--c,of Fig. 1. In the drawings the coupling is shown as cons1st1ng ofa stem 2, one end of which is threaded at 3 and screwed upon the outer end of a supporting bar 4. The stem 2 is formed with a longitudinal passage A which opens at the outer end of the stem 2. A

gasket 5 is mounted on the end of the stem 2 and surrounds the mouth of the passage A. The outer face of the gasket normally projects a short distance beyond the end of the stem 2 and is designed to abut against a corresponding gasket on a complementary cou with the longitudinal axis of the stem 2;

toward the stem 2 and terminating in a semi-circular, off-set portion 7, corresponding to the exterior periphery of the end of the stem '2, and which off-set portion is de- -the inner face of the flange 6 converging signed to receive'the end of the stern of the complementary coupling head.

Formed on the stem 2, a short distance rearward of the flange 6 and on the side of the stem 2', opposite the flange 6, is a semiannular, radiaLflange 8, the outer edge of which turns toward the outer end of'the stem 2 and is tapered on its inner face to form an incline which converges toward the stem 2 and terminates in an off-set portion or pocket 9, having an arcuate side wall corresponding to the curved outer periphery of the flange 6, and which recess or pocket is adapted to receive the end of the flange 6 on a I complementary coupling head,- as

shown in Fig. 4. The outer edge of the and longitudinal reciprocal movement.

flange 8 is formed on an arc concentric with the outer edge of the flange 6, and its ends terminate vertically parallel with the ends of the flange 6 and spaced therefrom. The passage A in the tubular stem 2 is adapted to be connected to the free end of a flexible hose 10, through an opening 11, in. any suitable manner.

The supporting bar 4 is preferably rectangular in cross-section, and is designed to be mounted to have a combined oscillatory In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the bar .tis shown as extending through and slidably mounted in a ball 12, loosely supported in a socket bearing formed by a pair of hangers 13, clamped together on opposite sides of the ball 12, by means of boltsl t The hangers 13 are designed to be mounted on a draw-bar 15 on a car, and to extend 'therebeneath, as shown in Figs. v1 and 3; the hangers 13 being held in place. on the draw-bar 15 by means ofsaddle irons 16,

which areplaced astride of. the draw-bar 15 and have threaded-ends which extend through base-flangeson'the hangers 13, and

- are'connected to the latter by means of nuts 17, The bar 4 extendsparallel with the longitudinal center of the draw-bar 15 and is normally maintained horizontally in this positionby means of a centering spring 18.

One end ofthe spring 18 is rigidly-secured I to the hangers 13, whileits other end passes through and is slidable in a: projection 19, formed on thestem 2, as shown in Fig. 1.

y The centering spring 18 is of suflicient tension to'normally maintain the bar-4: in a horizontal position. and at the same time permit of its being oscillated in any direction on its ball support 12. "Wound on the bar 4, and lnterposed between the ball 12 and the inner end of the 'stem' 2, is a compression spring 20, which tensioned to normally maintain the bar 4 in its outermost or advanced position, in

which position the outer face of the stem 2 will project a short distance beyond the vertical center of a coupling pin 21 on the head of the draw-bar 15; the longitudinal axis of the coupler head being disposed in ver tical alinement with the center of the coupling pin 21.

In the operation of the form of the invention just described and shown in Figs.

1-23 and 4, when two cars carryingcorresponding couplers are brought together,

end to end, and connected by the coupling pin 21 in the usualmanner, the flanges 6 on the opposed coupling heads will be directed into the pockets 9 so that the gaskets 5 on the ends of the stems 2 will abut against eachother. The'two coupling heads in coming together will, by reason of the bases of the heads being positioned in advance of the coupling. pin 21, cause the supporting bars 4: to move"lengthwise in opposition to the compression springs 20, which springs will then operate tomaintain the complementary coupling heads-in close contact with each other underconsiderable pressure, forming a tight joint between the gaskets 5 and permitting the flow of steam or air through the connecting passages A. In event of the couplingheads being out of alinement with each other on moving two cars into their coupling position, which might be occasioned by the cars being on a curved track or uneven grade, the flanges 6 will be engaged by the inner faces of the flanges 8 and be directed thereby into the pockets 9, thereby centralizing and alining the coupling he'ads in relation to-eaeh other; the coupling heads being free to move in any to rock on a fulcrum bearing 12, being free to move horizontally, vertically and longitudinally in the latter. The bar 1- in this case is normally maintained in a horizontal position by the cooperation of a counter weight-24, mounted-on the end of the'bar t, and a combined compression and torsion spring 20 which is wound around the bar 4, and has its ends secured to the bearing 12 and'to' the end of the stem 2. In the latter form of mounting the bar 4.- the use of a separate centering spring 18 may be dispensed with.

It is manifest that while the coupler head is shown as provided with a single passage A for the passage of steam or air, the number of passages may be increased to any desired extent, and it is also obvious that the coupler head may be fitted with electrical contact members where it is desired to couple the terminals of electrical conductors. It is also manifest that while the coupler is shown as carried by the draw-bar of a car, it may be mounted in any other convenient manner; this form of'mounting, however,

being more desirable on account of the greater facility in centering the coupler on various ears and adapting the coupling member on one car to register with the coupling member on another car;

If desired, the line connections to the coupler may be made inany manner, other than through the hose coupling 10; the latter arrangement being provided so as not to necesthus sitate alteration of theusuaI well-known piping systems now generally in use; the

construction here shown enabling the "attach ment of the coupler to most 'cars without any changes in constructionof the car fittings.

- Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to securev by Letters Patent, isz' 11 An automatic-coupling and uncoupling. for trains, comprising a head formed with a passage communicating with the conducting .line on thecar, a semi-annular diver out conducting line on the car, a semi-annular f .mentioned flange and on the I said head, said last-named with a pocket adapted'to receivethe forward flange on the end of said head, a secon divergent semi-annular flange on said head' rearward ofthe before-mentioned flange and on the opposite side of-said head, said1a -st-.. named flange formed wit-ha pocketadapted to receive the forward flan e of acomplementary head, and a yielda 1e support'f or said head. 1 1

2. An automatic coupling and uncoupling,

for trains, comprising ahead formed with a passage communicating Wltlllhfl conducting line on the car, a diver e'fnt semrannular flange on the'end of'said ead,1a second divergent semi-annular flange on said head .rearward of. the before-mentioned flange and on the opposite side. of said head, saidla'stnamed. flange formed with a pocket adapted to receive the forward flange of a complementary head, a slidable support for said head, and resilient means for maintaining said support in an advanced position.

3. An automatic coupling and uncoupling for trains, comprising a head formed with a.

passage adapted to be connected with the flange on said head rearward of the beforeange formed opposite side of 1 flange of a complementary head, a slidable support for said head, resilient means for maintaining said support in an advanced position, said head supporting means mounted to have an oscillatory movement, and spring means for maintaining the support'in a central position.

4. In a line coupling, a coupling member formed with off-set, divergent, semi-annular flanges adapted to receive corresponding flanges on a complementary coupling head,

prising a body formed with a passage adapted-jtobe connected with a train line terminal, a semi-annular flange on the end of said member formed with an inclined inner face, an arcuate shoulder at. the base of said flange adaptedto receive the end of a"complementarycoupling head, and a sec? ondisemi annular flange on said member on" the side opposite the before-mentioned flange ;l0

and rearward thereof, said last-named flange formed with' an inclined face terminating in a pocket adapted to receive the outermost flange on a complementary coupling head. In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NEWELL n. BOYNTON. 1011s -r.mc1nnm. THEODORE A. BRANDHOFER, n.

witnessesc JOHN H. ,W. W. 

